Hybrid optical phase array and MEMS beamsteering for chip-scale Lidar system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11474206-B2
Application number	US-201916582568-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 25, 2019
Priority date	Oct 2, 2018
Publication date	Oct 18, 2022
Grant date	Oct 18, 2022

Abstract

A vehicle, Lidar system and method of detecting an object. The Lidar system includes an optical phase array and a mirror. The optical phase array directs a transmitted light beam generated by a laser along a first direction within a first plane. The mirror receives the transmitted light beam from the optical phase array and directs the transmitted light beam along a second direction within a second plane.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of detecting an object, comprising:
directing a transmitted light beam generated by a laser along a first direction within a first plane using an optical phase array, wherein the optical phase array oscillates the transmitted light beam through a first angle within the first plane at a first oscillation rate;
receiving the transmitted light beam from the optical phase array at a mirror; and
directing the transmitted light beam along a second direction within a second plane using the mirror, wherein the mirror oscillates the transmitted light beam through a second angle within the second plane at a second oscillation rate that is faster than the first oscillation rate.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising
receiving a reflected light beam at the mirror, the reflected light beam being a reflection of the transmitted light beam from the object; and
directing the reflected light beam to the optical phase array via the mirror.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the transmitted light beam exits a photonic chip via an aperture and the reflected light beam enters the photonic chip at the aperture.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising
directing the reflected light beam at the photonic chip to one or more photodetectors via a circulator; and
detecting a parameter of the object from the reflected light beam at the one or more photodetectors.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mirror is a component of a microelectromechanical (MEMS) scanner, further comprising rotating the mirror about a single axis of rotation to direct the transmitting light beam into the second plane.

6. A Lidar system, comprising:
an optical phase array operable to direct a transmitted light beam generated by a laser along a first direction within a first plane, wherein the optical phase array is configured to oscillate the transmitted light beam through a first angle within the first plane at a first oscillation rate; and
a mirror configured to receive the transmitted light beam from the optical phase array and direct the transmitted light beam along a second direction within a second plane, wherein mirror is configured to oscillate the transmitted light beam through a second angle within the second plane at a second oscillation rate that is faster than the first oscillation rate.

7. The Lidar system of claim 6 , wherein the mirror receives a reflected light beam that is a reflection of the transmitted light beam from an object and directs the reflected light beam to the optical phase array.

8. The Lidar system of claim 7 , further comprising:
one or more photodetectors configured to detect a parameter of the object from the reflected light beam; and
a circulator configured to the direct the reflected light beam to the one or more photodetectors.

9. The Lidar system of claim 6 , wherein the optical phase array is located at an aperture of a photonic chip that includes the laser.

10. The Lidar system of claim 6 , wherein the mirror is a component of a microelectromechanical (MEMS) scanner and rotates about a single axis of rotation to direct the transmitting light beam into the second plane.

11. A vehicle, comprising:
a Lidar system for measuring a parameter of an object, the Lidar system including:
an optical phase array operable to direct a transmitted light beam generated by a laser along a first direction within a first plane, wherein the optical phase array oscillates the transmitted light beam through a first angle within the first plane at a first oscillation rate; and
a mirror configured to receive the transmitted light beam from the optical phase array and direct the transmitted light beam along a second direction within a second plane, wherein the mirror oscillates the transmitted light beam through a second angle within the second plane at a second oscillation rate that is faster than the first oscillation rate.

12. The vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the mirror receives a reflected light beam that is a reflection of the transmitted light beam from the object and directs the reflected light beam to the optical phase array.

13. The vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the Lidar system further comprises:
one or more photodetectors configured to detect the parameter of the object from the reflected light beam; and
a circulator configured to the direct the reflected light beam to the one or more photodetectors.

14. The vehicle claim 11 , wherein the optical phase array is located at an aperture of a photonic chip that includes the laser.

15. The vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the mirror is a component of a microelectromechanical (MEMS) scanner and rotates about a single axis of rotation to direct the transmitting light beam into the second plane.

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Talty Timothy J
• Mulqueen Michael
• Kremer Richard

Classifications

• G01S17/34

  using transmission of continuous, frequency-modulated waves while heterodyning the received signal, or a signal derived therefrom, with a locally-generated signal related to the contemporaneously transmitted signal · CPC title

• G02F1/113 Primary

  Circuit or control arrangements · CPC title

• G01S17/931

  of land vehicles · CPC title

• G02F1/2955

  by controlled diffraction or phased-array beam steering (controlled diffraction for optical waveguide switching G02F1/313) · CPC title

• G01S7/4812 Primary

  transmitted and received beams following a coaxial path · CPC title